POLICE BEAT

Aug. 3, 2011

All Items in Police Beat are based on official police reports of events. Reports are published by The Daily Journal as soon as they are made available.

VINELAND POLICE

• Police have ticketed Mary F. Pappas, 43, of Milmay for failure to observe a stop sign following a fatal two-car collision Saturday night at New Panther Road and Chestnut Avenue.

JoAnn Guzzi, 59, of Vineland died at the scene of the crash.

Officer David Tesoroni noted the investigation is still pending and is under review by the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office.

• Bryan R. McCarthy, 29, of Swedesboro was arrested for driving while intoxicated at 2:10 a.m. July 16 after police responded to reports of a disabled vehicle at the dead end of West Wheat Road.

McCarthy told police his pickup truck was struck from behind and then got stuck in the sand. When police asked for his driver's license, McCarthy told the officer that his license was suspended.

After failing field sobriety tests, McCarthy was taken to the police station, where he told officers he would not sign any papers without his attorney present. McCarthy also refused to take a breath test.

He was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving while on the revoked list and refusal to take a breath test.

• Jose L. Hernandez Betet, 21, of the first block of West Chestnut Avenue was charged with driving while intoxicated following a traffic stop at Chestnut Avenue and Spring Road at 10:19 p.m. on July 23.

Police received a tip from an off-duty corrections officer that a Ford pickup was driving erratically on Chestnut Avenue. Police caught up with the truck and stopped the driver, identified as Betet.

After failing field sobriety tests, Betet was taken to police headquarters, where he was a given a breath test that measured his blood-alcohol content at .19 percent. Betet also was charged with reckless driving and failure to maintain lane.

• Joseph D. Maurice, 20, of the 5000 block of Dante Avenue was arrested for driving while intoxicated early Friday morning.

An officer timed a 2005 Audi A4 going 65 mph in a 50 mph zone on East Chestnut Avenue. When the officer turned to stop the car, another officer noticed the Audi parked in a driveway on the 600 block of Fernwood Drive. When police approached the car, there were two occupants slouched down inside, according to police reports.

The driver, identified as Maurice, told the officers he was aware that he should not have been drinking. When he saw the officer following him, Maurice said, he tried to get away.

At the police station, Maurice was given a breath test that measured his blood-alcohol content at .12 percent. He also was charged with reckless driving, speeding and underage drinking.

• At 2:12 a.m. July 22, a resident of the first block of West Chestnut Avenue told police she heard a loud bang and when she looked outside she saw that a black pickup had struck her Dodge Neon in the parking lot.

She went outside to talk to the two men in the truck, the resident told police. One of the men offered to pay her $100 to cover the damage, she said. When the woman said she was calling police, the two men got in the truck and drove off.

• Joel A. Agosto, 33, of the 2100 block of West Landis Avenue was issued a summons for failure to yield following a collision at 1:38 p.m. July 25 at Landis Avenue and Orchard Road.

• Dionne C. Davis, 19, of the 300 block of Oxford Street was arrested for careless driving following a collision at East Avenue and Plum Street at 1:50 p.m. July 27.

• Breeon V. Cobbs, 22, of the 1300 block of Oak Lane was issued tickets for driving while his license was suspended and failure to observe a traffic signal following the collision that snarled lunchtime traffic Thursday at Landis Avenue and Orchard Road.

• Gina L. Castellini, 30, of the 500 block of Sheridan Avenue was cited for careless driving following a collision on Landis Avenue, east of Myrtle Street, just before noon Thursday.

• Gina M. Shellhamer, 46, of the 1100 block of Woodcrest Drive was involved in a collision at 4:36 p.m. Thursday on Landis Avenue, west of Lincoln Avenue. She was issued tickets for careless driving and having an unregistered vehicle.

• A resident of the 2900 block of N.E. Boulevard reported a smashed mailbox Friday. Police estimated the damage at $50.

• Helen M. Gonzalez, 51, of the 100 block of Axtell Avenue was issued a summons for improperly backing out of a driveway at 11 a.m. Friday at North Second Street near Yelkca Avenue. Gonzalez's vehicle struck a car that was stopped in the road after the driver got out to remove branch that got stuck in the undercarriage.

• Lillian O. Eager, 84, of the 200 block of Maple Terrace, Buena, was ticketed for an improper turn following a collision at Delsea Drive and Butler Avenue at 12:54 p.m. Friday.

• David P. Hennis, 28, of the 800 block of South Mill Road was issued summons for improper backing out of a driveway and driving while his license was suspended following a collision on Mill Road, near Jackson Drive, at 1:06 p.m. Saturday.

• Taisha I. Penn, 22, of the 100 block of Mount Vernon Street was issued a ticket for careless driving following a collision on Quigley Avenue, near Park Avenue, at 2:50 p.m. Saturday. Penn told police her flip-flop slipped off her foot. When she tried to put the shoe back on, she lost control of her car and struck a tree, according to police reports.

• Elizabeth L. Franklin, 46, of the 100 block of Harding Highway, Landisville, was issued a ticket for careless driving following a collision on Elmer Street, near Seventh Street, at 1:54 p.m. Sunday.

MILLVILLE POLICE

• Pedro L. Vazquez, 45, whose last known address was on the 800 block of Cedar Street, was arrested Monday on the 1700 block of East Broad Street and charged with trespassing and contempt.

• Melanie Marie Green, 25, of the 200 block of E Street was arrested at North High and East Vine streets Monday and charged with simple assault.

• Robert M. Petty, 41, of the 2600 block of East Main Street was charged with simple assault Monday.

• Tia J. Stocks, 34, of the first block of Maple Drive, Bridgeton, was charged with simple assault and burglary of a motor vehicle Monday.

BRIDGETON POLICE

• A 10-year-old boy reported a man tried to lure him into his car in the area of Dare Avenue around 7:40 p.m. Monday. The child said the man promised to give him an Xbox if he got in the vehicle. The suspect is described as a large, middle-aged, light-skinned black man with a goatee. He wore a black baseball cap and was driving a silver car with black front and rear bumpers.

• Anthony Moore, 24, of the first block of Sharp Street was arrested Tuesday on charges of burglary, criminal mischief and criminal restraint, and various outstanding warrants. He was held without bail in Cumberland County Jail.

• Derrick L. Sheppard, 30, of the first block of Taylor Street was arrested Monday on two warrants for failure to appear in Bridgeton Municipal Court and a charge of hindering apprehension. Police stopped Sheppard because he appeared to be drinking alcohol in public, and Sheppard provided a false name. He was held in the county jail on $3,500 bail.

• Charles Sutton, 37, of the first block of Dare Avenue was arrested Monday and charged with making terroristic threats.

• Brock A. Martinez, 30, of the 1300 block of Second Avenue, Seabrook, was arrested Tuesday on charges of harassment and criminal mischief.

• A 44-year-old man reported $600 was stolen from him during a violent robbery about 2:20 p.m. Monday at Cohansey Street and Irving Avenue. The man was treated at South Jersey Healthcare Bridgeton Health Center for injuries to his face and torso.

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